Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of short-term debt and current maturity of long-term debt and capital lease obligations due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28555-108399

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- Definition

Amount of interest capitalized during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Allowance for Funds Used during Construction
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504829

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Total interest costs incurred during the period and either capitalized or charged against earnings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

Amount of addition (reduction) to the amount at which a liability could be incurred (settled) in a current transaction between willing parties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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-Publisher FASB
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-Section S99
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligations including current maturities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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- Definition

The cash outflow during the period from the repayment of aggregate short-term and long-term debt. Excludes payment of capital lease obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
Debt (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities	$ 15,363				$ 16,027
Less current portion of long-term debt and short-term borrownings	(2,228)				(1,232)
Long-term debt	13,135				14,795
Liabilities, Fair Value Adjustment	171				179
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium) and Debt Issuance Costs, Net	95				100
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Interest Costs Incurred	195		$ 218	$ 211
Other Debt, Including Capital Leases and Short Term Borrowings [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations, Including Current Maturities	$ 5				5
Senior Notes Due 2017 2 Point 15 Percent [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	2.15%
Repayments of Debt	$ 500
FCX [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	13,242				13,745
Cerro Verde [Member] \| Shareholder Loan [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	224				261
Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	267				267
Freeport McMoRan Corporation [Member] \| Debentures [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross	358				359
Line of Credit [Member] \| Cerro Verde [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	1,267				$ 1,390
Letter of Credit [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Long-term Line of Credit	39
Revolving Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	1,500
Revolving Credit Facility [Member] \| Line of Credit [Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Long-term Debt	0
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Revolving Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	3,500
Property, Plant and Equipment [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Interest Costs Capitalized	28		20
Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Interest Costs Capitalized		$ 0
Oil and Gas Operations Segment [Member] \| Oil and Gas Properties [Member]
Revolving Credit Facility [Abstract]
Interest Costs Capitalized	$ 0		$ 7